Potato-digger



(No Model.)

H. P. MEYER.

PUTA-TO BIGGER.

Patented'Aug. 16, 1887.

hp r g l N. PETERS. FhnXn-Lllhogmpher. Washington, D. C.

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NITED STATES HENRY FREDERICK MEYER, OF VILL, ILLINOIS.

POTATO- DIGGER.

SPECPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 368,482, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed March 28, 1887. Serial No. 232,665. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FREDERICK MEYER, a citizen of the Province of Hanover, in the Empire of Germany, residing in the township of Vill, in the county of Will aud State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in potato-diggers, the construction and operation of which are fully set forth and explained in the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the figures and letters of reference thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional View of the elevator of the machine on line l, Fig. 1, looking down upon the shovel, and the mechanism for operating the elevator-apron. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the sifter ofthe machine. Fig. 5 is a rear View of the machine, showing the sifter and mechanism for operating it, other parts being broken away; and Fig. 6 is a front view of the forward part of the machine, showing the ad- 3o justable bar for holding the front end of the elevator tongues, other parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings, A and A represent the axles, and XV Vare traveling wheels on said axles, which axles and wheels support and transport the machine.

B B are the bed-sills, the forward ends of which rest on the bolster Af on the front axle, A, and the rear ends of said sills rest directly on the rear axle, A.

Q is a reach connecting the two axles, the rear part of which reach is forked or branched, so that the working parts ofthe machine may belocated between its parts, as shown in Fig. 3.

I? P are a pair of upright posts standing one on each sill B, about central in the machine, and P P' are a pair of posts standing one on each sill, near its rear end, as shown in Figs. l and 5, (one of the posts l? being hidden in Fig. l by its fellow post.)

B B are beams respectively located directly above sills B B, and connecting, respectively, the posts I? IJ.

BL is a crossbearn connecting the beams B B near the upper ends of posts P P, and B3 is a cross-beam connecting the upper ends of posts P P.

a a are a pair of short posts respectively bolted to the bolster A2, and are connected at their top by a cross-bar.

ai is a cross-bar adj ustably secured to sait posts a c by means of pins or bolts a c', passing through holes in said cross-bar and posts, as shown in Figs. l and 6.

E is an adjustable elevator carrying an endlessapron carrier, F, supported on proper rollers, R R2, one at each end, which apron is provided with equidistant rows of teeth t.

D3 D3 are a pair of tongues respectively secured at their rear ends to the outer sides of the elevator E, near its lower end, and united at their forward ends, and resting on the adjustable cross-bar a2. These tongues thus supported on the cross-bar a2 support the lower forward part of the elevator E and the plow S, which is secured to said elevator, and vertically adjust the point of said plow by means of elevating and lowering said cross-bar ai, as stated.l

As a means .for elevating and holding elevated from the ground the elevator and its parts, the machine is provided with a lever, L, which is fulcrumed in post H, standing on cross-beam B3, by nieans of pin V, passing through slot L in said lever, its inner end being pivoted to cross-rod I, passing transversely through the upper end of the elevator-frame. (See Figs. l and 2.)

J is a'seg-nient secured to said post H, and is provided with hooks J', under which to hook the outer end of lever L when it is desired to hold the elevator and its parts from the ground. V is a row of holes in post H, for changing pin V to vertically adjust said lever.

D* is a draft-chain connecting the forward axle, A,with a cross-bar connecting the tongues D3 about their center, as shown in Figs. l and 2, by means of which draft-chain the elevator and its parts are d rawn.

S is a plow having a central point and sides, and is secured tothe elevator E at its front lower end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

IOO

vator E, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The shafts of rollers R R are respectively provided with the spur-gears G and G3, connected by means of the idler-gears G G", and E2 is a guard for covering and protecting said gear mechanism to exclude vines and dirt.

- 'Iheendless apron F is driven by means of traveling roller R through the medium of said gearing, which drives roller It.

D is a shaker located at the rear upper end of the elevator to catch its discharged contents, and is suspended at its front end from the (beams B B by means of the links d d, and at its rear end from the cross-bar Bf by means of the bail d' and the rod or strap d2, passing through said cross-bar, and having the row of pin-holes and pin h, for vertically adjusting the rear end of the shaker to properlyl incline itsbars. (,SeeFigs. land 5.) The said shaker is rectangular in form, and is provided with two sets of.longitudinally-arranged bars, e and e', forming sifters for separating the dirt and vines from the tubers. The upper bars', e, are arranged farther apart than the lower bars, e', and are designed more particularly for separating the vines and larger lumps of earth from the tubers and discharging the sifted-out matter from the rear opening in the shaker to the spout D', which discharges it at one side of the machine. (See Figs. 1, 3, and 5.) The lower bars, e', are nearer together and are intended to separate the tubers from the earth, which falls through between said bars, and the tubers roll along out of the shaker D and fall inspout D2, which conducts them to a basket resting on the platform M, secured to the rear under side of sills BB. (See Figs. 1, 3, and 5.) Said shaker D is caused to vibrate through the medium of quadrant O, pivoted to post P', link O', pitman O2, and crank-disk C', having a sprocketchain, C, connecting saidV mechanism with sprocket-wheel W2 on wheel W. l, 3, and 5.)

Z Z are a pair of levers arranged one on either side of the upper end of elevator E, and pivoted at theirinner forward end to the crossp bar B2, and their rear ends 'rest on cross-bar B, and are adj ustably attached thereto by means of pins g'g', passing through' saidlevers and cross-bar B3. (See Figs. land 3.) Said cross-bar B3 is provided with the row of Apinholes g, for the purpose of permitting said elevator to be laterally adj usted by means of moving said levers laterally and securing them adjusted by means of moving saidy pins g in said row of holes g.

N is a drivers seat secured on cross-bar B2.

N is a foot-board bracketed to posts l? P, and T is a tongue secured'to the front axlehounds, to which tongue the team for propelling the machine is attachede l (See Figs.

The elevator and its endless-apron carrier have Ano other connection with the frame of the machine than through the medium of the tongues D3 D and levers L and Z Z. The depth to which it is desired to permit the plow to enter the ground is regulated by means of elevating and lowering the outer ends of the tongues D3 D3.

Lateral adjustment is given the upper end of the elevator to hold the elevator in a vertical position when the machine is working on a side hill or uneven ground, and the lever L furnishes means to elevate the plow entirely out of the ground,so the machine maybe transported from place to place. The slot in said lever permits forward and backward motion ofthe upper end of the elevator when in operation.

In operation the plow Srplows up the hills and carries them back to the endlessapron carrier F, the teeth of which carry it up and depositit in theshaker D,which sifts the tubers out, as described. Much of the earth is sifted out from the vines and tubers as the hill is being carried up the elevator by the carrier and falls out at the rear of the plow between it and the carrier.

When the machine is in operation, the elevator and its carrier rest entirely on the traveling roller R and tongues D3 D3, and the carrier is operated entirely by the said traveling roller, so that the plow is not controlled or disturbed by means of the truck-wheelsof the machine passing over inequalities of uthe ground. l

' Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. In the potato-digger described, and in combination with its frame, the elevator E, having the endless toothed apron-carrier F, adjustable tongues Da D6, secured to the sides of said elevator and resting on cross-bar a, slotted lever L, draftchain D4, traveling roller R, spur-gears G G G2 G3, and plow S, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the potato-digger described, and in combination with the frame, the elevator E, and the means for adjustably attaching said elevator to said framen and the levers Z Z, for laterally adjusting said elevator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In the potato-digger described, the elevator E, having the toothed endless-apron carrier F, plow S, traveling roller R, and spurgears G G. G2 G, in combination with the tongues D3 D3, slotted lever L, and levers Z Z, whereby the said elevator is vertically and laterally adj usted, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.`

4. In a potato-digger, an elevator provided with an endless toothed apron carrier, and a plow for conducting the tubers to the carrier, and having av traveling roller or wheel. for maintaining the weight of and driving its elevating mechanism, in combination with the means, substantially as described, for adjustably attaching the elevator to the machineframe in such manner that its operation is uncontrolled bythe truck-Wheels of the machine passing over inequalities of the ground, substantially as specified.

5. In the potato-digger described, the levers Z Z, having their inner ends respectively pivoted to cross-bar B2, and having their outer ends adapted to be laterally adjusted, in com bination with the elevator E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In the potato-digger described,the tongues DSD, in combination with the elevator' E, draft-chain D4, and means, substantially as shown, for vertically adjusting said tongues, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In the potato-digger described, and in combination with the elevator E, tongues D3 D3, and segment J, having the hooks J', the

lever L, having the slot L', as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a potato-digger, in combination with a frame mounted on traveling wheels and carrying a vibrating sifter operated by means of one of the traveling Wheels through the medium of pulleys and a belt and crank mechanism, substantially as described, an endless toothed carrier elevator independently mounted on a traveling roller or Wheels geared to and arranged to operate said endless-apron carrier, and having a guiding-tongue resting upon an adjustable support of said frame, and transported, together with said frame, by means of a draft chain or bar connecting them, as speci- HENRY FREDERICK MEYER. Vitnesses:

THos. H. IIUToHINs, J'oHN J WILHALME. 

